


Lance owes Hunk 20 bucks

by ChampionShirogane



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Lance owes Hunk 20 bucks, M/M, free diver lance, mer shiro, merman au, orca shiro, shance, surfer lance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-08-12 21:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7949944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChampionShirogane/pseuds/ChampionShirogane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lance is a talented surfer and very passionate about free diving to almost dangerous levels. After a heated debate with Marine Biology student Hunk he pushes himself further and boy does he hate it when Hunk is right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I went and started a fic based on this drawing ( http://biblicacelestia.tumblr.com/image/149677564305 ) I made of Lance with an Orca Shiro. Lets say I got carried away witht he idea by now. In later chapters I will add the other characters so I hope you enjoy this silly little fic.

“How old are you, and you still believe in all that mumbo jumbo?” Lance was now staring at Hunk as though he had said something profoundly ridiculous, “You're a marine biology major, I'm pretty sure in all that research there is absolutely no proof that Mer-people exist.” 

After making his point the surfer continued to turn his attention to waxing the board that was balanced on his crossed legs, right now the only thing on his mind was getting himself back in the water ASAP. Sadly earlier he had had to cover over at the shack for a while all because his brother decided that today would be a good day to head over to the mainland.

/Jerk / 

“Look Lance, hear me out. I know you're salty about being dragged in on your day off but seriously, dude. Do you have any idea how much of our oceans we haven't seen? What's to say that they don't exist? I mean we know more about the Universe than what's in the water.”

“And the shit that lives down there glows, has pointy teeth and even if by some chance one did exist, let’s say that the Mer 'Hunny' you're chasing is most likely going to look like the stuff of nightmares.” 

Hunk sat there for a moment looking mildly offended that his best friend would shut him down so quickly, they'd know each other for years and this debate was hardly anything new for the two of them. In many ways it was like a routine where, if one day they didn’t have this heated discussion, the world would most likely end.

“The whole town still seems to cling to that old story that your family is descendant of one, you have to admit if that's the town’s main story there must be some truth to it. C'mon you would tell me if it was true, right?” He was now staring at Lance through puppy dog eyes in hopes that one day he'd shed some light on as to why that was. 

“Hunk, we are a small beach town on some offshore island, of course there's going to be some B.S. story to lure in the odd tourist or two. Just because my family are pretty strong swimmers does not mean that we are of ocean descent. “

“But--”

“No 'buts'. How many times have you tossed me into a random body of water expecting some kind of transformation? Must have been hundreds of attempts now. And how many times have I grown a tail? ….Go on...” 

Hunk let out a defeated sigh before rolling over onto his side, the sand already clinging to any and all moisture on his skin. 

“Zero.”

“Thank you!” He replied raising his arms in triumph hoping that they could get back to talking about surfing, and girls, or both...Yeah, both was good...

“You gotta admit the way you swim is a little freakish.”

“Hunk, I thought this crazy discussion was over.” Lance felt as though his head would explode any second, the heat was beginning to get to him and he really needed to cool off. “Also I never thought a standard front crawl was freakish. Then again I do have perfect form.” He shot the other an egotistical smirk just to get a rise out of the larger male. 

“You know full well I'm not talking about that. I have seen you swim effortlessly though a rip tide, you barely ever come up for air which, let's be real, most experienced professional swimmers can’t do and they are stacked and you... well, you're hardly what anybody would call 'buff'. Also let’s not forget that you boast about going down 214 meters, that's little under the world record holder and you STILL claim you can go further without feeling the pressure. That's hardly normal, you're not even a trained athlete.”

“First of all, that was rude. Second of all, shut the hell up.” Lance pouted as the other reeled off every odd thing about how he acts in water. “It's just practice though my mom would probably freak out if she knew about the free diving stuff, that's still our secret right?”

“I'll be honest I'm not too chuffed that you've been doing it so much lately, the human body is not made for that strain, not at the depths you've apparently been hitting.” 

“Relax, I'll be fine, I always am.” He chuckled as he set the board aside for the moment so he could reach over to his back and retrieved a couple of foil tubs full of leftovers from working at the shack. “Besides I come bearing gifts, I know you love my mom's cooking.”

Hunk just stared at the containers for a few moments before letting out another hefty sigh.  
“Okay, I get it. This is a bribe to shut me up right?”

Lance's grin grew wider as he handed them over. 

“You're going to do it today, aren't you? Unbelievable.” 

“Well, I was thinking about heading to the cove this time. It's deep but less chance of any strong currents dragging me off course. Not that it's stopped me before.” 

“Lance... I'd rather you not go there this time. Like I think something's in there.” Hunk was now cracking his knuckles nervously as he tried to explain his reasoning in a way that wouldn’t have Lance poke fun of his concerns again. 

The smaller male just rolled his eyes as he prepared for a string of complaints and concerns to leave the others lips, again this was not unusual in the slightest. While he appreciated that his friend cared enough for his safety, he felt that a lot of the time such concerns were unnecessary and often spurred him on to go do the thing regardless. 

“I'm literally going for a quick dive, it's a shame you're not into it, you'd get a serious kick out of what's down there.” 

“And when I get equipment then I'll join you for part of the way. You forget I don't have that freakish lung capacity that you have, also I'm still not letting my warning drop.”

“Okay, I'm listening, what's got you so spooked?” Lance finally decided to let Hunk get it out of his system. 

“I'm not spooked but I've passed by there last week, you know, when I missed the last bus?”

“And...?” Lance was getting a little impatient, he didn't really want to know about that part of the story considering the larger male had already complained about his travel issues already. 

“There was this sound, like a sort of pulsing, whistling sound...”  
“Like a whale?”

“Well kind of like that, but there was something off about the sound. At first I thought it was a whale or some kind of dolphin but it didn't match anything indigenous to our region. So it’s something that somehow got lost due to a change in current temperatures or it's something totally new.” 

“It's probably the first thing and besides I doubt anything big would make it in without getting beached or noticed. The only deep bit is the one section near the slightly rocky area, it goes down far but something the size of a whale would not have much space to comfortably manoeuvre. So basically I'll be fine.” 

“That cocky attitude of yours will bite you on the ass one day.” Hunk grumbled feeling a little dejected that Lance had blown off his warning so casually. 

 

Two hours had passed and Lance was already at the cove, sun was still high in the sky, the water looked pretty calm so at least swimming conditions were favourable and more importantly there was nothing out of the ordinary in the clear waters. Setting his belongings on a rock he swam out to the rocky formation in the centre of the cove, a few small fish scattered as he effortlessly glided through the water before clambering up onto the small rocky island. He lived for moments like this where conditions were ideal and he felt as though he could push himself further than ever before, if he was lucky he could be down and up by the time Hunk arrived ready for their promised surfing session. He felt a little bad for ditching their plans so often but he was going to keep his promise just after a quick dive, no harm in that, right?

Idly he tugged at his wetsuit ensuring that it was comfortable against his skin before taking a large breath, filling his lungs to capacity before diving into the pristine water below.

When he was under the water Lance felt his calmest, he'd never been the most academic or the strongest in anything but this was something he could do better than anyone, also nobody was there to nag him as he descended, admiring the sea life, the formations as the clear waters grew a little darker where the sun couldn't reach so easily.

Further down he went, his body was feeling a little bit of pressure and he could feel a slight burn in his lungs, nothing urgent but just enough to hint that he should try to get back to the surface. He'd just turned around to see a dark shape out the corner of his eye, it was pretty big for a fish, in the murky depths it was a little hard to gauge the size of it, and it was so fast. Maybe this was what Hunk had been talking about? However as he finally pushed it to the back of his mind a man was now face to face with him, he was muscular with a strong jawline, black hair with a shock of white hair on his forelock and a body covered in scars all the way to a... tail? Yet when he'd opened his mouth only a series of seemingly furious clicks, and whistles escaped his lips. Of course that would be enough to startle Lance as he lost control of his breathing and the last remaining oxygen in his lungs escaped from his body. 

The 'man' had gone into full panic mode as it dawned on him that the human was most likely drowned if he didn't do something seeing as he was partly responsible for his predicament. In truth he had meant well, usually human's could never reach such depths unaided so he'd been concerned when he'd tried to communicate with him, sadly the creature could not form actual words under water, only a series of sounds and he'd been so caught up in warning the visitor that he forgot that human's would not understand. He had all the time to beat himself up about it later but for now he needed to make sure the gangly looking guy did not wind up dead because of his mistake.   
The human was flailing and his eyes were going a little red from lack of oxygen, he had to think fast if he was to succeed. 

The only option left for the mysterious man to do was to press his lips to the stranger’s and force air into his lungs that way. 

Lance however froze on the spot as the man locked lips with him, his lungs filled a little with air and there no doubt was also water in there judging by how his lungs burned. One part of him wanted to escape but he was being held firmly and if he pulled away he'd most likely drown, there was no other air supply around so he had to trust this 'person'. Even now he was sure that the tail was a hallucination, after all people see all kinds of crazy stuff when close to death, right? There was no way he was seeing this for real, had he not been fighting to stay conscious Lance would have laughed, it was all too ridiculous. 

A black haze surrounded his vision as they reached the surface, his chest was fit to burst as he became aware of the change in pressure causing him to finally pass out in the stranger’s powerful arms. 

A short while later the creature had finally gotten the young man to safety though his lower body remained submerged, he couldn't risk being properly seen in full daylight. More than anything, he did not want to be caught again, and he also did not want the foolish diver to die either. Carefully he placed his ear to the others chest to hear a weak fluttering heartbeat, yet he wasn't breathing. 

/No no no no!/ Frantically the merman dragged himself a little further up onto the shore so he could try to help him breath once more. After opening up the boys airways he caught as much air in his mouth and enveloped lances lips once more and exhaled into him. Still there was no reaction and he was growing increasingly alarmed. 

/Breathe dammit!/ 

He tried a couple more times, yet it wasn't until the fourth try that the smaller male had coughed up a lungful of sea water into his mouth, immediately causing him to recoil and watch as he continued to cough, splutter and vomit onto the sand.

The whole thing was painful to watch as Lance finally rolled onto his back again fighting for air as he refilled his lungs with as much oxygen as he could, there was most likely some fluid in his lungs. More than anything he knew that the diver needed a doctor and the merman would hardly be one of those. He now had a dilemma as he considered letting his tail dry out so he could form a pair of legs and carry him to someone who could actually help, yet he was sure that walking around naked and carrying an unconscious person looked highly suspicious, but what choice did he have? 

“It's okay buddy, you're going to be fine.” He tried to keep Lance focused while he waited for his body to alter, “Can you hold on a little longer?” Now that he wasn't underwater he was able to form actual words and sentences which meant he had a way to try and reassure his companion without spooking him again.

Lance felt as though his lungs were on fire as he continued to gasp for air, he was fairly sure he was lying in a pool of his own vomit as he tried to focus on where that voice was coming from. Whoever it was had quite a nice voice, firm, reassuring but it did not belong to anybody he knew. The town wasn't that big and he was sure he knew most people in the area but definitely not this man. 

“Who...?” He asked weakly as he began to decipher some of the others features... Well built.... Strong jaw... shock of white hair....   
His eyes widened as it dawned on him that this was the man from the ocean, and sure enough there was the tail which he at least could recognise was like that of an Orca.

“What the...? “ He croaked as he drank in the sight of the other, his brows knitting together in an expression of mild confusion, this had to be a hallucination, there was no way in hell that Hunk's little theory about mermaids had been correct. Those were fairy tales, stories to appease and soothe children to bed. They were not real and there was definitely not one fussing over him in that instant, he'd just swallowed too much salt water like a dumbass... Yeah, that had to be it. 

The merman’s legs were just about to form when he noticed another human approaching, this one was taller and larger built than the diver, he seemed to be a little way off so maybe he hadn't been able to make out the tail, but he had to make his escape, otherwise his cover would be blown and it would only be a matter of time before people try to seek out his friends. He could not let that happen.

“I'm sorry.” He murmured before slipping back into the ocean just as Hunk finally got close enough to see that Lance was not in a good way. He hated that he hadn't been much help but it was better this way. After all what did he really know about the human world? Hell, he didn't even know where the nearest hospital was and even that could be detrimental to the boy’s wellbeing. 

“Lance?? Lance!!” Hunk bellowed as he bounded towards his prone friend who seemed more than a little worse for wear as he just blankly stared at the ocean with an expression that he couldn't place. Deciding it was best not to move him, Hunk pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled for an ambulance before resting a hand on Lance's shoulder. However he could have sworn that there had been somebody else here not too long ago, then again the sun had been reflecting off the water and maybe it had been a trick of the light, yet there was this insatiable nagging in his gut that he'd have to ask his friend later.

“Hunk...”

“Yeah, what's up?” He asked deciding it was best to try to make sure to keep Lance conscious for now as they waited for help to come. 

“I... Think I've lost my mind....” 

“Wait, what?” Hunk was even more confused, he'd been so worried sick that he did not even bother with a witty come back to that statement. “I think you might be a little too out of it so we can talk about that later. Do you remember what happened?” 

“Not properly...” 

“I've been meaning to ask this for the past few minutes. Was there somebody with you just now?” The larger male asked as he removed his shirt to drape over his friends shivering body inwardly kicking himself got not bringing a jacket out with him even if it had been scorchingly hot. 

Lance's eyes widened slightly before looking away, so Hunk had noticed the man from the sea, he couldn't quite bring himself to admit that it was in fact a mer... man? Mer-Person? Even more so that he could still feel the strangers lips on his own. With a weary hand he trailed his fingertips thoughtfully along his own lips still wondering if that had been a hallucination.

“Wait.... There's something you aren't telling me?”

“.... I don't want to talk about it.....”

“Lance.... What the heck happened? I'm your bud, you can tell me everything.” Hunk pleaded with a puppy like expression almost forgetting that his best friend had almost drowned. It was a strange feeling having the other not being his usual talkative self, though he seemed more shaken up by the mention of the mystery man than actually almost dying.

“Later...” He stated as firmly as his exhausted body could, right now he just wanted to sleep for ten years and later maybe, just maybe process what he had seen. “I promise.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance is busy trying to make sense of what he saw even when approached by Shiro once more. In the meantime his near death experience had taken its toll on his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not really an action heavy chapter but hopefully it will set the ball rolling for what is to come in future chapters. Also thank you for the positive responses so far for this indulgent little fic. <3

“Soooooo are you going to keep your promise or not?” Hunk asked though this time his tone seemed to have lost part of its enthusiasm after possibly asking many times over the past few days. “It's been a week and you've still not told me about what happened, I mean something must have happened if you of all people drowned.” 

“I just got cocky.” Lance replied dryly as he began to mop around his friend who was sat up at the counter of the McClain family's shack, the smell of grilled chicken and fish filling the room as his brother served their patrons oblivious to their whisperings. Since his recovery all Lance had thought about was returning to the cove just to get a glimpse of the mystery person from a week ago when he'd almost lost his life, even now this hadn't dampened his will to venture into the depths once more. Perhaps once the dust settled he'd get back to free diving in peace, at the very least he was still able to surf without a huge lecture.

“There's something you're not telling me, there was someone there with you that day, wasn't there?” He was still not letting it drop, Hunk knew full well that he had seen another person who seemed to have swam off, yet every time he'd asked Lance about it he was met with silence or vehemently denying it with every fibre of his being. At first the larger male had wondered if his companion was afraid, however that seemed a little too extreme an assumption as after a while he'd noticed that Lance would wear an expression akin to embarrassment or indignation, it was hard to say. 

“I already told you that I'm not sure what I saw.” Memories of that day flooded back, the feeling of those hands gripping him as he was pulled to safety and that gentle voice as he came to. Of course there had been a few moments when Lance had been convinced he'd died but the man had certainly felt solid. Hallucinations didn't manifest themselves that strongly, did they? “Trust me bro, if I was certain I'd tell you, but right now I'm fairly sure I've lost my mind.”

“What? More so than usual?” Hunk quipped as he leaned his arm on the counter, he was all ears and it was hard to not pay attention when Lance tended to have a flair for the dramatic. 

“I'm being serious, nothing is adding up. Like I remembered being saved by someone, my mind was a bit hazy but I'm sure it was a guy.” He tried reliving that moment, of course he decided to not describe the mystery person in detail, he wasn't feeling up to even more questions. I was hard to forget someone like that, he was what most would describe as handsome yet what really struck him were the plethora of scars of varying severity all over his body all the way to a... tail? How the hell was he going to explain that part to Hunk? Of course he'd have a field trip since that had been almost the standard description of a… mermaid? Merman? Those didn't exist, they couldn't possibly yet there had been no mistake he'd seen it. It was hard to mistake the thick, powerful muscular tail of an orca even if it had been attached to a man.

Hunk let out a sigh of frustration as he was offered no new information only more questions as Lance tended to be the type to say the first thing that comes to mind and he was being almost unnaturally guarded in his attempts to evade giving a straight answer. He'd been about to chide the other when his train of thought was halted by the voice of another. 

“Excuse me?” 

Lance's eyes grew wide as that voice seemed so very familiar, even without turning around he knew that that low velvety voice belonged to the guy that had 'saved' him. He was almost too scared to turn around but he had to know for certain. 

Sure enough his suspicions had been confirmed, this was the same guy and now that he was no longer close to death he could take in the others features a little more, his blue eyes wandering over the mystery man committing each detail to memory in hopes of filling in any gaps in his recollection of that day. 

Gentle yet firm voice aside, he still seemed to be as well built as he remembered and that kind face with its soulful eyes, his body was still as scarred as he remembered too. However beyond that point was where he had a few differences, for example there was no tail as he stood quite confidently on both legs however there were lighter patches of skin along the top of his thighs and knees, it looked very similar to vitiligo but they did match where the whites of the tail had been in his memories. Needless to say his head was reeling as he tried to sift through the information in his attempt to discern what had been real from what had been mere delusions. What also struck him was how big the guy was, he was sure he didn't seem so tall when they were in the ocean together. 

“Lance, you can't stare at customers like that you know.” Hunk intervened though he was curious as to where this was going, it was very unlike his friend to not have something to say. Usually he'd say anything just for the sake of getting a word in but he was even failing that much. 

“Lance, huh?” The mystery man uttered with a smile, albeit a slightly apologetic one. “Not sure if you remember me, we sort of met last week and I sort of wanted to make sure you were okay.” 

The brunet was hardly sure how to react as he smiled back a little awkwardly and hesitantly extended his hand.

“Of course I remember you... Kinda. Well I guess I remembered you looking a little different.” 

“How so?” He replied as he feigned ignorance in hopes that this 'Lance' would doubt what he'd seen originally, after all the last thing he needed was for people to seek him out. Still it was good to see that the boy was pretty energetic after his near death experience. 

“Ah, well....” He hesitated slightly before dismissing his thoughts, after all, he did not want to sound like a complete head case. “I guess it’s expected. I mean I was vomiting seawater out my lungs after all haha. “

“Yeah...” The man replied yet with an edge of guilt, he knew that it had all be caused by him accidentally startling him in the first place. 

Hunk was still sat at the counter observing the entire conversation, quietly putting together his thoughts on the matter. It was clear the guy, whoever he was, felt responsible but Lance did not seem angry or bitter about such a traumatic experience either. He even knew Lance wanted to dive again despite threats to sit on him. 

“I guess we should at least get your name, huh?” He interjected as the conversation had dissolved into a string of clumsy sounds and words. 

“Right, I guess it would be best to just call me 'Shiro'. Rolls off the tongue better than 'Shirogane' at the very least.” 

“I'm Hunk and well, you met Lance already I guess.”

“I guess you could say that.” Shiro replied as he rubbed the back of his neck clearly finding the situation pretty embarrassing, however he was glad that he'd managed to ease his conscience slightly with this visit, not to mention it made a nice change to speak to people that didn't live in the sea. 

“Something is bothering me.” Hunks tone took on a slightly firmer tone as his trademark protectiveness kicked in. “If you saved him when he drowned, why did you just leave?” He hated being so suspicious as this Shiro guy did seem pretty okay, but something in his gut was screaming that something was up. 

Shiro's smile faltered as Hunk had asked the question he'd been dreading, of course he didn't truly have a leg to stand on as he tried to explain himself without blowing his cover as an ocean dweller. 

“It's kind of embarrassing, I mean... Damn, how do I explain this?” His cheeks burned red, the story he was about to spill was embarrassing but he had to if it meant keeping his existence and true identity a secret. “Well, you never really expect to have to save anyone when uh... I... “ 

“Go on.” Hunk urged, much to Lance's surprise it was very rare to that docile bear of a man act that firm, he felt a bit sorry for his saviour but also pretty touched at the extent that Hunk, sweet, anxious Hunk had his back. 

“I was skinny dipping, okay?” He hissed as not to draw more attention to himself, it may not have been the whole truth but it wasn't a lie either. After all merfolk generally were naked by default. “Can you imagine how bad it would look if I were carrying him to safety in that state. In fact I was about to when you showed up… Can I stop now? The embarrassment is killing me.” 

Lance was blinking in confusion as Shiro's statement failed to add up again, he was sure if he had been naked he'd certainly remember something like that? Or not, he'd barely realised that he had an incredibly advanced prosthetic arm until now, until that moment he'd just been staring at the mysterious man’s legs. Partly to try to remember exactly what he had seen and partly because they looked pretty muscular, Hunk's comment about him technically being a shrimp had suddenly surface despite its lack of relevance. 

“Look guys, I'm sure it's not important, everything is fine and I think I should treat to some stuff on the house, yeah??” He finally piped up in an attempt to break the tension between his friend and Shiro, though he felt it would be pretty nice if they could all get along and maybe spend more time together. Hunk was the most compassionate and protective best friend that anyone could wish for and Shiro seemed cool and equally well-meaning despite his seemingly misguided choices. Also he hoped that nobody picked up on that he'd been staring at the taller male for longer than he'd intended. 

“You really don't have to.” Shiro replied as he wasn't sure what to say in this situation, though he'd pulled Lance out of the ocean, he did kind of leave him on the shore so he wasn't sure he deserved a generous reward like that. 

“Yes, he does.” Came a stern female voice from behind the three guys, immediately interjecting their awkward conversation after listening in when she noticed this newcomer within her son's friend group. He didn't seem local and he did seem a little older than Lance and Hunk. “So you're the one who helped save Lance then?” She added with a smile as she rested her hands on her hips. As far as women went she was a little shorter than average and was slightly pudgy, almost the opposite of her lanky son. However they both shared the same chestnut brown hair, olive skin and ocean blue eyes, there was no doubt they were related as even some of their mannerisms seemed to match... Or rather they were both a little stubborn about silly things. 

“Hey Mrs M?” Hunk grinned as he greeted the middle aged woman, also one of his favourite people as they'd often share recipe ideas with each other and was sort of like a second mother to him since he had moved back to the island to study after his own family had decided to transfer to a home on the mainland. 

“Hey big guy.” She replied cheerfully. “You can call me Sarah these days you know?” 

“Oh right... Sorry about that.” He replied cheerfully, it would seem a few childhood habits had been a little harder to shake than anticipated. However what immediately struck Hunk in that moment was that Sarah had barely even looked at Lance since she'd arrived, usually the woman had a tendency of hugging her son tight or at least reaching up to ruffle his hair but this time she just seemed really distanced. He looked over to his best friend who despite smiling had such a painful look in his eyes which made the larger male want to pipe up and say something. Yet he chose not to for now, after all there could be a perfectly rational explanation and there was no point making his friend’s life any more difficult without having all the facts. 

Lance had opened his mouth to try to instigate a cheerful conversation with his mother but to no avail as her attention was now on Hunk and Shiro and it seemed as though she was trying her hardest to avoid him, he wasn't used to her being this way and he couldn't help but feel hurt either. He looked over at Hunk who just seemed to shoot him a knowing look before replying to whatever Sarah was saying. Shiro however just looked awkward after winding up in a situation with people he really didn't know, yet Lance had to wonder if he had noticed the sudden drop in atmosphere. 

“Actually, mind if I take you up on your offer another time?” Shiro asked as he had enough foresight to know that he was the outsider in this situation, and there did seem to be some underlying issues he had no business interfering with, or rather the chance of it having to do with him was slim so he assumed that this option was for the best. After all he'd made sure Lance was alright and he most likely wouldn't cross paths with him again. “I only came to see that you were okay, maybe we'll see each other again.”

“Well, you're always welcome here… uh...” Sarah struggled for a few moments, her face turning a little red from forgetting the name of one of the man who'd pulled her son from the ocean. 

“Shiro.” 

“Right Shiro, feel free to swing by anytime, I honestly can't thank you enough... Hunk also.” She offered them a tired smile and this time shot one at Lance. The truth was she was still shaken up after almost losing him that she hadn't known what to do with her emotions, she still was struggling and would no doubt still be that way for a while. Perhaps she had been a little hard on him as for the first time all week she'd actually paid heed to his expression, her usually cheerful boy just looked miserable and it was her doing, there were so many things running through her mind but she lacked the strength to breach the subject in that moment.

“It was nothing, but I'm glad I could help.” Shiro’s words were sincere as he said his farewells and exited the shack in hopes of slipping back into the ocean unnoticed, Lance and his mother seemed to have plenty to deal with and Hunk just seemed to be assessing his motives which wasn't really a bad thing but one small slip up and his cover would be blown.

“I guess I better get back to work.” Lance stated flatly as not to cause his mother anymore stress, when he felt a pair of soft palms on his cheek. Sarah was now looking at him and though she was smiling it looked as though she was going to burst into tears any minute and while it was good to know that she didn't hate him or was no longer mad, he couldn't help but feel as though his chest had been pierced. He hated seeing anyone look that genuinely sad, and especially more so when it was his own mother and that he was 90% certain that his near death experience had been what had triggered this whole mess. 

“Lance... How about you go spend some time with Hunk, I know I’ve been a little hard on you.” 

“Mom, it's fine. I know I gave you a scare.” 

“How about we have a long talk tonight, too much has been left unsaid and I'm just tired.” She gave him a tight squeeze before kissing her son’s forehead. “Now go have some fun, just try to be careful this time okay?” 

“I promise.” Lance replied as he offered her his biggest smile despite the doubt that had clamped around his gut. He wasn't sure he was ready for 'the talk', seeing as his mother just looked really shaken up and there was no way he could ever figure out what would make such an indomitable woman like her crumble like that. “Love you.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance finally works up the nerve to confront his mother however he was not prepared for what came next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, a little more drama/angst than the last chapter but this should finally set things in motion. Poor Lance gets put through some shit this time haha.
> 
> Also might start illustrating my fics a little more now :3

It seemed as though he and Hunk had been walking forever in awkward silence after the encounter with Lance's mother. The truth was that he could see so many questions written on the larger male’s face, yet he chose not to address them yet. Hell, he was pretty much as clueless as his friend.

Right now Lance felt as though he could sleep for ten years if it meant not dealing with which was causing him such level of distress, since the day he'd gotten out of hospital after drowning in the bay his usually doting mother had seemed distant, distracted and easily provoked over the slightest of reasons. It was natural that she would have been shaken up by the ordeal, after all out of his siblings Sarah had been the most protective of him, yet he'd never really questioned why. Aside from chalking it up to the fact that most people that met him often saw him as the lanky son that should take life a little more seriously, and therefore saw him as the type that could deal with what they'd deem as 'the real world'. Of course he had his own hopes and dreams but his serious side was often masked by his otherwise playful nature. There were times where he did get annoyed about the coddling but he appreciated and loved his mother more than anything. Which was why the sudden change in her temperament had shocked him, he'd finally gotten what he wanted but he never wanted to have to feel what he'd describe as coldness, almost as if she was trying to disconnect from him somehow. 

“You okay there buddy?” Hunk rested a large hand on Lance's shoulder as if reminding him that he was still with him should he choose to break his silence. More than anything, he was at a loss as to how to lift his best friend’s mood, he'd never seen him look nearly this perplexed in his life and it scared him. 

“Y-yeah, just I wish I could explain. But how can I do that when I don't know what the problem is?” He finally admitted as he stopped to clamber up on one of the many upturned boats that were scattered on the vast coastline never to be truly used but only to give the area that quaint sea front aesthetic... Or that's what most people assumed.

“You think she's mad at you?”

“Well, it did cross my mind, but it feels like she's scared.” Lance tucked his knees up under his chin as he stared out at the ocean, his thoughts briefly drifted to Shiro wondering where he 'poofed' off to, but that really was the last of his worries, wasn't it? “Maybe that's too strong a word for it but I feel like she's blaming herself. Every time I ask what's wrong or apologise for being reckless she just scurries off muttering to herself.”

Lance watched as Hunk clambered up next to him as he tried to offer any support he could, one of his best traits was that he was a good listener but not always the best at knowing what to say to make the other peson feel better.

“Well she seems to want to talk about it now, so that's good right?” Instinctively he wrapped his large arms around the other, practically smothering his slender frame yet Lance allowed himself to be comforted by the other as the other’s solid frame against him seemed to anchor him in some way. This time Lance was thankful that his best friend was as cuddly as he looked, more than anything a firm hug was needed as he tried to find the strength to return home.

“I guess.” Lance replied with an exaggerated sigh as he finally broke free of the hug, a tired smile on his face as he thanked the other for offering his support. “I'm sure it will be fine, might just be that huge rant that's probably long overdue.” 

“You know I'd have probably slapped you that day had you not been half dead, so I get where she's coming from.” He grinned over at Lance despite the undertones suggesting that even he was a little put out by the slimmer male’s recklessness. He had all the time in the world for Lance yet it was clear enough that he failed to comprehend the laws of consequence most of the time. “Anyway, how about you get this over with and tomorrow we can head out and catch a few waves since today was a bust.” 

“Yeah, sorry about that big guy.” Lance's body language was now a little less tense and his shoulders no longer hunched as he straightened himself out mentally preparing himself for what was to come. He wasn't keen on the thought of facing his mother but Hunk was right, it was not going to get better unless he 'sucked it up' and dealt with the problem at hand.

“I guess this means I better head back to the dorm?” Hunk however was now wearing a relieved smile knowing that his friend was now acting a little more like himself, also he cared deeply for most of the McClain family and he hated the thought of the family in conflict. 

“Yeah, but you'll see me tomorrow anyway. It's fine, I know you can't help but miss me.” He teased much to Hunk's annoyance. 

“Whatever Lance, just get going already, jeez.”

Any motivation he'd had after his conversation with Hunk had trickled away the nearer he got to his family home, most nights he'd run up the beach towards the small house that overlooked the ocean greeted by the sound of his family bustling about and chatting excitedly about their day. The house itself was fairly old, wooden with the paintwork weathered by the elements, but it added to its charm, this was the house he'd grown up in and he would not change it for the world. However, this time it seemed a little eerie as only one light was on and he couldn't hear his younger siblings laughing or bickering in the distance, more than anything he didn't want to do this. 

Hesitantly he pushed open the front door and edged inside before slipping off his sneakers and slowly padding his way into the living room where his mother waited for him. Her face was hard to read as she glanced up at him with a battered trunk at her feet, he'd never seen it before but it was clear that it was significant but he just could not connect the dots. 

“Hey Mom.” Lance offered the woman an awkward smile and his usual hug, which this time she accepted as she smiled sadly at him. “Is everything okay?”

She just looked at him and shrugged.

“I really don't know.” There was a slight warbling to her voice as she held back any emotion that would set her off, Lance could see that she was struggling but what worried him the most was how this was completely out of character for her.

Slowly he knelt down in front of her and grasped her hands in his own, he'd always been close with his mother that seeing in this state was heart breaking and unlike Hunk he really was not the best at cheering anyone up in a crisis. Usually he'd laugh or slip in a smartass comment to mask the fact that he wasn't coping very well at all. Again this was another trait he had picked up from her.

“I'm sorry I scared you last week... I was an idiot.”

To that she shook her head, her small hands gripping her son's tightly as she fought once more to ground herself, this was the hardest thing she was going to have to do. The truth was that it had been a long time coming as she knew one day that she was going to have to come clean about Lance's birth sooner or later. She'd hoped and prayed that she could have waited until he'd turned twenty-one to sit him down calmly and explain it but current events had forced her hand. 

“Mom...?”

“No... It could have been avoided.” She stated firmly as she started to unlock the box to remove what looked like a large scrap of soft leather. “If I gave you this sooner you wouldn't have drowned.” 

Lance just looked at the item not sure exactly how such a thing would help, perhaps it was inflatable though he highly doubted it. Though now his mother was unrolling it he caught sight of the details on it. It was a dusky greyish brown with darker spots, he was certain he had seen similar makings but couldn't remember where he'd seen such a thing and the scent of ocean salt seemed to roll off it despite being in a musty old trunk. 

“Unless this doubles up as a raft I'm not sure how it would help.” He replied with a trademark smart comment before his tone softened slightly. “It was just a dumb accident, I was just a little cocky.”

However he could not fight the unease in his gut as his mother shook her head, clearly she'd hoped things would be simpler, but why was what looked like a scrap of leather causing her so much distress?

“Put your hand on it.” She stated sadly as she held the item out towards her son. 

He hesitated a moment, the whole thing feeling like there was going to be a punchline and his father and siblings would burst out of the closet and say he'd been 'Punk'd', but his mother's expression alone was enough to crush any hope of that as he placed his hand on the scrap.

At first it did feel like leather until after a few seconds the surface turned a little viscous as it stuck to Lance's hand and seemed to spread and fuse to him. 

“What the hell!!” He stammered as he flung it to the ground, clearly spooked by how it reacted on contact, yet it hadn't done that to his mother. “What the hell is that?”

Now Lance was staring at it as though it wished to consume him, his mind reeling as he wondered why his mother would give him such a thing. His mother however just scooped it u and held it to her chest as he encouraged him to take a seat. 

“Lance, do you remember that story that your father used to tell you?” 

“The one you banned him from telling?” He replied, he knew full well the story but instead of all the details he could remember how upset the story made her. Eventually he was never told it again. “The seal wife?”

Sarah just nodded solemnly as he'd answered the question.

“It just hit a little close to home... The seal maiden who was forced to marry a human because he stole her sealskin. In the end one of her children had found it and she returned to the sea never to be seen again.” 

“It's a fairy tale, you don't need to let it get to you. Selkies don't exist.”

This time she shook her head violently as she dismissed his attempt to blow off her explanation as she placed it back in his hands.

“This... Is yours. This is your sealskin, Lance.” Tears were running down the woman’s face as she uttered those words she never wanted to speak, she knew the lore and she'd been afraid for him so she'd kept it hidden. “You were born holding this... 'thing'... Selkie or not you're my boy… I didn't want anything to happen to you.”

[](http://s349.photobucket.com/user/benitora/media/sadlance_zpsgzsajnml.png.html)

“You knew about this.... All this time and you didn't tell me.” He was now gripping the skin tightly as it clung to him once more yet now he wasn't in shock the sensation was pleasant, he felt 'whole' or something similar, it was a complex emotion yet it was drowned out by the anger that had welled up in his chest. “So Dad and Shaun know? “

Again she nodded as dry sobs escaped her throat,

“I had to watch you grow up wanting nothing more but to be in the ocean, the pull was strong. I was so scared I'd lose you, I then did the unthinkable.... I was so mad and so desperate that I tried to destroy it. All I wanted was for you to live a normal life. Doing that would have killed you, or even made you mute... I... I didn't know. Your father found me and explained before I had.” 

Lance's body went cold as he listened to his mother’s distressed explanation of events and while it was clear she'd acted in his own best interests it didn't dull the fact that he possibly wouldn't be stood here now. Never in his life had he felt as betrayed as he stared at his mother who now looked frail and scared as she continued to let fly her confession. 

“You almost killed me?” Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he listened how his mother almost had damaged him for good, yet the harsher of the possibilities lingered at the forefront of his mind. Even if she hadn't meant it and despite her well-meant actions stemming from her meaning well, it didn't change that fact.

“Lance... Please, listen to me. “

“I think I've heard enough.” He replied flatly as he suppressed his emotions, right now he needed to get away for a while, he wasn't sure where or for how long but he couldn’t bear to be in the house any longer as he bolted out of it and towards the beach as Sarah cried out after him. Deep down he had known his mother only wanted the best for him but he needed some alone time to cool off and gather his thoughts, but right now he was running on emotions he barely understood. 

Without thinking he ran down the empty beach, leaping over rocks and tangles of washed up sea weed as he tried to put as much distance between himself and his mother. She probably didn't deserve this reaction from him, the rational part of his mind was telling him at least that much but that voice was being drowned out by sadness and anger not knowing how to process everything he'd just been told. Eventually he found himself running down an old boardwalk, several parts of the decking seemed to have started to rot and eroded over time, yet it still was able to hold his weight as he reached the end and promptly shed his clothes as he wrapped his body in the skin... 

He'd heard the tale enough times to know how it worked, and sure enough it was engulfing his naked body, encasing it completely until he was now in seal form and dragging his body towards the sea. The waves drowning out his mother’s voice as he slipped away, the only trace of him were the discarded garments on the weathered wood which his mother was frantically gathering up against her chest as she screamed his name until her throat was hoarse and she couldn't shout no longer.

Lance had no idea how long he'd been swimming before exhaustion took hold and he was being dragged further out to sea, with no energy to fight the current as the coastline got further away. The moon hung large and full in the night sky, it was a shame he was not in a good mood, otherwise he'd have appreciated its beauty.

/What now...?/ He mused as he managed to find some strength to get to what seemed like calmer waters when it finally hit him. He wasn't human, he never was and now he was stuck in the form of a seal... probably to be eaten by some apex predator knowing his luck.

As if on cue a large grey fin cut through the waves, and as someone who often surfed knew the dangers of shark attacks, often caused because their short sightedness and thinking humans on boards looked like seals or turtles… Sadly now he was literally a seal and the predator was well in its right to eat him even if he did not wish for it.

Frantically he dove beneath the waves so he could try to put some distance between them but he was too fatigued to hold out for long as he knew it was only a matter of time before his met a grizzly end.

For ten minutes the chase lasted as he dove and manoeuvred in his bid to escape those razor sharp jaws. The moonlight barely reached the water depths as he practically swam blind every moment hoping and praying he'd manage to live. Right now his thoughts were of his mother, regret clenched hard in his chest as he wondered what would have happened had he stayed calm... For one thing he would not be staring death in the face. The shark was now circling him ensuring that he had nowhere to go before he made the decisive strike.

If it were possible Lance would have burst into tears as he realised how futile this was, his eyes scrunched shut as the large predator went for him.

But the sensation of teeth tearing his flesh never came to pass. Instead he could feel the distinct feeling of human arms around his body. It took a few moments before he dared open his eyes again. Sure enough he was being carried off by someone familiar, once more he had been saved by Shiro his mind finally accepting the truth as he was hopefully being taken to safety although there was a nagging at the back of his mind that seals were generally a food staple for creatures such as orcas yet he was too tired to care. He was certain that he wouldn't be recognised like this, which of course was most likely a blessing provided that orca styled merpeople did not enjoy the taste of a petulant young seal.

Before long they had arrived on a rocky outlet inhabited by a colony of seals and of course Shiro had deemed it appropriate to put him there, but not before holding him just under the flippers and glancing him over with dark eyes full of curiosity. 

Originally, Shiro had intended to put the young slightly runtish seal with the others in hopes that they were its family yet on closer inspection he noticed that the creature had these amazing blue eyes, unheard of for seals whose eyes ranged from a dark brown to pitch black. This seal was a wonder and yet its expression was strangely human as he placed it down on the rock before shedding his tail to crouch down and get a closer look in case there were any injuries. 

Lance however died a little inside as he caught a glimpse of Shiro in all his pure naked glory, yet the merman thought nothing of walking about naked in a more human form as he checked him over. It was almost annoying how flawless his companion was. Even caught up in this surreal turn of events, he could appreciate everything from his pale skin in the moonlight, the sculpted body and more importantly his kind face. How could Lance not feel a little more at ease around someone like that? Had he been in a better state of mind he would have enjoyed the view a little more but for now he just wanted to rest hopefully with the merman that was currently fussing over him, right now he just wanted some company and Shiro was all he had in that moment, he could feel him stroking the top of his head and back with his human hand, the metal one was gently around his body as if steadying him. Those touches felt nice, soothing even as he shuffled a little further onto Shiro now that he was lying across him slightly as he hinted that he was enjoying being held and comforted.

“It's fine, I got you buddy.” Shiro chuckled as the 'seals' attempt to cuddle up to him, there was no way for him to know that it was a Selkie he was dealing with. Aside from the blue eyes there was no definite way to tell without the skin being shed and to him he just felt he'd befriended another of the rocks inhabitants. “Not letting anyone eat you today, so don't worry.”

As silly as those words had been, Lance couldn't help but feel comforted by them, feeling his body grow heavy while the adrenaline from earlier wore off and right how he could not care less if he slept for ten years. His eyes fluttered shut, he could feel the merman's heart beating against his skin, that slow steady thumping easing him off to a deep, much needed sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro wakes up to find Lance draped across him and not the cute seal from the night before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this time we find out a little bit more about Shiro. 
> 
> Also if you want the uncensored version of the illustration it can be found here ----> http://biblicacelestia.tumblr.com/post/150806510015/biblicacelestia-preview-of-chapter-4-of-my-fic

It was pushing midnight as Hunk was sifting through textbooks and other assorted documents for his dissertation, and quite frankly he'd hit a brick wall as he read over his first draft. His heart sank further and further as he realised he'd forgotten to properly source his information and that the point he was making about the changes in the behaviour of the fauna seemed to get lost in a sea of unneeded information.

Groaning as he flopped sideways he decided it was probably best to take a small break, perhaps grab some coffee as this was going to be a long night if he wanted to keep to his self-inflicted schedule. Delicately he managed to clamber over his work and off of the bed as he padded into the communal kitchen in search of caffeine.

Fortunately his dorm mates weren't around so he could grab what he needed and get back to work, so he settled with a black coffee and a PB&J sandwich before refuelling and attempting to salvage his coursework. Upon returning he set his sandwich on the desk before taking a swig of that black bitter liquid and he remembered why he never drank it unless desperate. He was certainly not a fan but if it got him through the night then he was more than willing to brave something that he felt 'tasted like ass’.

No sooner had he set the mug down that he had heard his phone buzz, his brows knitted in confusion as he wondered who would have phoned him at this hour... Probably Lance... It usually was. Maybe he just wanted to let him know how the meeting with his mother had gone, however the name that flashed up on his phone was not the McClain he'd assumed. Hunk could not shake the fact that there was something ominous about this, of course he'd been texted by the woman before but usually it was during more sociable hours usually to ask if he could put in a few hours at the beach shack when Lance or his older brother Shaun couldn't do it. With one thick thumb he tapped in his lock password and gained access to the message within, and as he'd suspected it wasn't good news. 

The message itself seemed a little frantic with a high number of typos and repeated words, it took him a few moments to decipher Sarah's message but what he did gather from it was that Lance had run away. The 'how's' and 'whys' of it all were vague and the reason was never given, the whole thing was suspicious, there was something Sarah either refused or couldn't say but it was enough to know that she was distraught and wanted her boy back.

“Lance... What the hell are you thinking?” Her muttered to himself as he slipped off his sloppy shorts and dressed a little more appropriately to try to locate his friend. From what he knew about Lance, he knew that he probably wouldn't have gone far, also that there was a huge change he'd return eventually, he at his core was what was called a 'mama’s boy' there was no way he'd leave his mom in this state. There was definitely something more. 

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Shiro stirred slightly as the morning sun began to warm his body as he lay there on what the locals had referred to as 'Seal rock', not really the most innovative of names but there was no denying that it lived up to its reputation. Already the inhabitants were up and about, either catching breakfast or lounging around. However he could still feel a slight weight along his body, his mind was still a little hazy from sleep as he opened his eyes slowly, hissing softly as the bright light seared his retinas.

Surely enough he hadn't slumbered alone, of course he remembered the affectionate blue eyed seal from the night before however what he did not remember was there being a human there, specifically that 'Lance' guy. Remaining still as not to spook or wake his companion Shiro decided to weigh up his options, he may not be so good with general land dwellers customs yet he was one hundred percent certain that Lance was not going to react well waking up on top of a naked person whom he'd only met briefly... this was bad. 

At least this time he wasn't in any danger of drowning as he snored softly, he seemed to be wrapped in something leathery that seemed to drape over his body like a messy sheet, if materials seemed to cling to skin in such a manner at least. Quite frankly the merman had never seen anything quite like it in his life, though he did have a few suspicions as to the boy’s identity, of course seeing a seal with bright blue eyes should have been a dead giveaway that he may be dealing with a selkie.  
This was a first for him, he'd never had a chance to see one this close up but then again seals and orcas generally didn't mix well so that was no surprise and selkies were very elusive by nature. Lance's presence only seemed to offer more questions than answers as he wondered what he was doing all the way out here, didn't he live near the back with his mother? He sure acted like your average human even to the point of holding down a job on the land.

[](http://s349.photobucket.com/user/benitora/media/sghirotittiesss2_zps1rcbpl4p.png.html)

He decided to remain there a moment as the smaller male murmured in his sleep and clung tighter to him. In a way Lance was sort of 'cute' with his mass of short chestnut hair, olive skin and that light dusting of freckles across his shoulders. Though he was tall he was perhaps a little skinnier than most, and now his gangly frame had ensnared him and he was pinned in place. 

/Oh no... Not good, not good/

It was now too late to try to slip out, of course given his own natural strength Shiro could pry himself free from the other, but that would risk waking him. He felt awful, had he not been so dense the night before he might have realised what he'd been dealing with and would most likely have not fallen asleep with everything 'hanging out'. His face flushed bright red as he realised that he was going to have to explain himself once lance woke up.

As his luck would have it, the shorter male roused from sleep, his eyes still struggling to open as the sealskin seemed to slip down further and pool at Lance's waist, a tendril of seaweed coiled around his thigh as he began to rub his eyes. In that moment Shiro couldn't help but appreciate that the selkie was beautiful as he admired that slender neck, the gentle curve of his back as he propped himself up groggily and then... Finally. His eyes opened, that same hue he'd seen the previous night.

“Where 'm I?” He asked, still lethargic from sleep, apparently hard damp rocks weren't really the best place to get some shut eye. 

“Seal rock.” Shiro stammered after realising that he may have been distracted with the sight before him, though fortunately Lance hadn't noticed- Thank god.

Awkwardly Shiro ran a hand though his hair and gazed off into the distance, anything to avoid catching a glimpse of the selkie in his entirety as the skin slipped off of his slender frame as he clambered up onto a nearby rock. If anything he didn't seem too bothered as those blue eyes were sleepily giving him the once over before folding up his sealskin and resting it on his lap. Of course he'd have seen it all the night before while in seal form, Lance would have had hours to get used to that sight, still there was something a little off with him.

The merman sat cross-legged, his hands resting on his lap in an attempt to cover himself as he decided what to say to the other, of course he still felt really embarrassed being caught in such a state but he was concerned for the younger male.

Lance's posture was slumped over slightly as he stared down at the skin, his eyes were filled with hurt and sadness as he gripped it tighter. Shiro couldn't help but wonder about what was stopping him from putting it back on, after all once out of the sealskin a selkie was at its most vulnerable. There had been countless tales of humans stealing the skin and forcing them into marriage. Yet his companion refused to put it back on. He wanted to say something… anything to him, maybe to comfort him, or merely to break the crushing silence between them.

“Thank you...”

Shiro was taken by surprise as Lance had broken the silence, out of all the things that could have been said in such a surreal situation, words of gratitude were one of the last things he'd expected to hear.

“Ah don't mention it, I kinda acted on impulse.” He offered Lance a gentle smile as he met the others gaze, it was then that he realised that he just wanted to protect him, as long as he needed. Right now he was upset and vulnerable, maybe there was something he could do, but first he had to figure out what had caused him enough distress to be caught swimming in the ocean in the middle of the night. “Still, what were the odds of that being you? Can't say I've ever met a selkie until now.”

“Shiro... Please don't” Lance's nose crinkled in displeasure after hearing the other call him a selkie, that was the last thing he'd wanted to hear. Of course he hadn't intended to have come off quite so harsh, he was a ball of emotion and the poor merman was caught on the receiving end of his ire.

Shiro just stared up at Lance dumbfounded he hadn't expected such a reaction and he was sure he hadn't said anything particularly offensive, unless his race was an issue. Seals and possibly the odd occasional selkie got eaten by orcas all the time and though he was not one per se, his physiology was similar enough for this interaction to be awkward.

“I'm sorry. I'm just not ready to call myself that.” Lance struggled for a few moments as if the word 'selkie' seemed to be lodged in his throat. “I can still be a human... Right?”

Shiro could feel his heart break into a thousand pieces as the other male seemed positively crestfallen over what was most likely a recent development. Even more, that selkie lore was often tragic in tone and he knew that it was potentially a cruel fate and Lance did not deserve a life bound to his sealskin. Yet the merman couldn't bring himself to outright say it. 

“How long have you known?” Shiro asked as he gazed intently at the other, his tone was soft and quiet as he tried to encourage the selkie to open up to him at least a little.

“Since last night. Was kind of a lot to take in, y'know?” He admitted, though it seemed there were a few unspoken things lingering on those sweet lips of his. Shiro couldn't fully understand, after all he'd always known exactly what he was, but to have the base of everything you are suddenly revealed to be a lie? He could only guess that it would be a soul crushing experience either way.

“Last night...? Yeah I guess it makes sense that it would be pretty rough, but hear me out. I'm not pretending to know everything but if you've been a selkie all this time, then why would finding out make you act any different?”

“I guess you have a point.” The selkie replied meekly as he digested the others words, Shiro was right, he was still 'Lance', his love for the ocean had always been strong and, despite the dread that sat in his gut, he did miss home. He missed his siblings, his dad... Especially his mom, yet he couldn't face her… not yet at least. How could he face her when he'd known that despite her loving him unconditionally, his unusual birth was the cause of her misery? And their last exchange was him leaving her on the beach wailing into the night. Some 'good' son he turned out to be, he thought bitterly as he wiped at his face, the tears burning lines down his cold cheeks, he'd messed up. 

“Ah, it's fine... Oh shit.” Shiro hadn't imagined that his words of encouragement would cause the other tears, already he could see tiny droplets push through the gaps in his fingers. Of course he hadn't been privy to Lance's innermost thoughts. Hell, he barely even knew him, but he was determined to somehow boost his mood.

Abandoning his shame, the merman slowly approached the upset selkie and pulled him into a tight hug. Sometimes words weren’t needed when comforting another, and he couldn't allow his companion to be sat on a cold rock crying his eyes out isolated and alone while he just watched.  
“Sorry if this is weird, but I promise everything will be okay. Just try to take it easy for now okay?”

Relief flooded the merman as he felt Lance nod against his shoulder, his slender arms returning the hug gripping tightly as though he were a life line. Both mer and selkie must have remained like that for what seemed like an eternity but in reality was a good five minutes when Lance finally broke the silence.

“Dude.... I think your junk is uh... You know...” He stated matter-of-factly causing Shiro to suddenly bolt, placing a good two meters between them, his pale features flushed with embarrassment.

Shiro was at a loss for words as he covered himself with his hands, though not quite managing to completely succeed. Of course he should have expected the comment, both of them were just casually there, naked. Naturally it was only a matter of time before someone addressed the elephant in the room.

Lance’s demeanour went from being pretty distraught to openly laughing at how awkward Shiro had suddenly gone, for someone who'd said that he enjoyed 'skinny dipping' he sure was reserved, no matter what way he looked at it the man who had saved him twice was a mystery.

“It's okay... Seriously, it's fine, it's not like I'm any different right now.” His cheeks had started to hurt through the effort of grinning, this was probably the most relaxed he'd been since having his life shattering revelation. More than anything he was grateful to Shiro for actually being concerned enough to help him out.

However once he'd ceases his raucous laughter his tanned features took on a slightly more serious look, there was something he wanted.... no... needed to know. It had been eating away at him for over a week and he needed to be sure that he hadn't gone crazy.

“Hey Shiro... Mind if I ask you something? It's a little crazy and the salt water probably got to me but..” 

“Yeah?” 

“I'm pretty sure I've seen you with a tail. Once when I was drowning and maybe yesterday, though it was too dark to tell.” In truth Lance didn't want to admit for most of that point from being saved from the shark that he'd had his eyes shut, admitting he was scared stiff was not cool. Especially not when in front of someone who could very well be described as perfect. Shiro was tall, brave, and athletically built- Everything that Lance have ever wanted or hoped to be. Promptly he pushed such negative thoughts deep down to be dealt with another day as he stared intently at the other his eyes drawn to the markings and scars on the man’s legs. The shapes seemed a little too perfect to be considered a skin condition surely.

Shiro's first instinct was to try and flat out deny it, just as he had the day before but things had changed since then, Lance was not an ordinary human, he wasn't really human at all. There was also the fact the boy had started to trust him, he at least owed the selkie the truth. He just nodded as he decided to just revert to his usual form, it took less energy to maintain and it sort of solved his 'nudity' problem.

“Sorry I didn't come clean sooner, it’s just I couldn't risk being found. I've escaped captivity once and I'm not going back.” His voice was thick with bitterness and sadness as he gradually slipped into the salty brine so he could begin to reform his tail. That had been a very dark time for him, often causing him to lose sleep or freeze up on a few occasions. More than anything he hated knowing that he was vulnerable despite his skill at appearing calm and collected at all times, the truth was that Shiro was rather unstable. However, Lance didn't need to know and right now he just wanted to return to his usual form.

Despite what fairy tales often led people to believe, the process was not as pretty or magical as they let on. The truth was that there were no magic sparkles but a sight akin to the skin and flesh of his legs melting together, the process whether forming a tail or legs left him nauseous as his organs shifted around slightly. The whole scene must have looked horrific to Lance.

Lance however remained frozen on the spot as he watched the transformation take place, it looked as though it caused his new friend a huge amount of discomfort and perhaps he was thankful that the ocean foam seemed to obscure his view slightly.

“Are you okay?” He asked as pinned his selkie skin under a rock and joined the other in the ocean, crouching down to verify that Shiro was alright. Now he was closer he could see that powerful black and white tail, the scars that seemed to cover it and those fins that seemed to have notches carved out of them. His heart sank as they looked more severe on him in this form than when they were present on his human form.

“Yeah, this is normal.” He assured the selkie, slowly reaching up to ruffle his hair playfully, “I'm actually more comfortable like this.”

He wasn't totally convinced as he ran his hands over the other’s tail, not really registering that he was technically touching Shiro's ass as his fingers ran along his dorsal fin, which was ever so slightly droopy. Of course he knew enough to know that a bent dorsal was common when captive Orcas were unable to exercise properly. He'd learned a bit about that from Hunk who was very much impassioned about anything to do with any sea creature. Whatever had happened to Shiro must have really taken its toll on him.

Perhaps it would be best not to think too hard about the fancy metal appendage that had replaced the merman's right arm. That story was bound to be heart-wrenchingly painful and Lance, for all his faults, knew well enough that it was not his place to ask about it, not yet anyway.

“Hey, it's not as bad as it looks so stop looking so worried okay.” He smiled warmly at Lance as he realised exactly how close they were, their noses were practically touching and the heat of the selkies breath rolled across his face and neck. It didn't help that his soft warm hands were gently petting his tail, it was both strange and welcome experiencing such gentle touches though he could not deny the wave of guilt that washed over him as he realised that he found it to be a pleasant feeling.

Heat rose to his face as he became increasingly aware of how close Lance was, and the way his eyes seemed to be fixated on him made his heart skip a beat. The strangest part of this sudden realisation was that despite the eagerness of which the selkie was examining him there was no malice or sense that he had any ulterior motives. However only awe and curiosity shone in those ocean blue eyes of his, no doubt he had a thousand and one questions just begging to be asked, yet he could see the amount of restraint on Lance’s face. For now Shiro wanted to get to know his companion, or maybe help him feel a little better about things, even giving him a few bits of survival advice wouldn't go amiss. There was no doubt that Lance was a strong swimmer but he was still ignorant of how demanding ocean life could get. 

“Anyway... That's in the past now, how about we go catch ourselves some breakfast?”

Lance paused for a moment as he pondered Shiro’s suggestion, he actually hadn't even thought about food yet, however at the mere mention his stomach started to growl quite audibly causing the merman to chuckle softly.

“Sounds good.” He smiled meekly before scrambling over the rocks to get to his skin, his fingertips brushing it hesitantly as he decided if he really wanted to wear it. There were still so many bitter feelings attached to his connection with it yet if he didn't don his sealskin he'd probably prove to be a liability to Shiro. 

The merman just watched Lance as he made his decision, it was hard not to admire those long legs of his as he seemed to effortlessly make his way further up the island where he'd pinned the sealskin beneath a rock. Waiting with baited breath he watched as the boy chose to wrap it about his shoulders instead of fully cocooning himself with in, the leathery texture seemed to take on a new consistency as it bound itself to his body and limbs. Lance had lowered his body to the ground as the selkie skin bound his legs so he could form a tail, and that which was touching his arms had formed an odd claw like flipper appendage and though his torso was covered it still resembled a more human physique.

“Ah, so you're not going 'full seal' this time?” He asked Lance, his head tilted with mild curiosity as he awaited the others answer. 

“I'm still not comfortable with the complete transformation, figured this would be a decent compromise I think.” Already Lance was pulling himself towards Shiro hissing slightly as the rocks scraped his belly, that was another thing he was most likely going to have to work around in future but right now he wanted to just slip beneath the waves and lose himself for a bit. “But ready to go when you are.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro is growing increasingly worried about Lance and decides to take it upon himself to out himself in order to contact Hunk in hopes that he could help ease the young selkies fears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay this one got a little heavy again but the fic should begin to lighten up a bit from the next chapter onwards for a while. Can't wait to introduce Keith and Pidge.

Seven days had passed since Lance had run away from home, much of his time had been spent swimming with Shiro catching fish and exploring the underwater caves and poking around the reef surrounding the beach. However no matter how close he had gotten to the shore he never managed to set foot on land, not because he was physically unable to, but rather he was afraid.

In that moment Lance was still pretty far out, yet he could see the beach shack where his family worked, he could make out the silhouettes of his older brother and the slightly hunched figure of his mother, he didn't need to see her face to know that she was miserable. A huge part of him wanted to go over and hug her tight, but he was also afraid to find out more about his birth, what else she may have done out of love and ignorance, but most of all he was scared in case she ever regretted having a monster like him as a child.

Monster may have been too strong a word, but he technically counted as some kind of creature all the same, apparently none of his brothers or sister had shared this trait with him. Was he a result of skipped genetics if he were to go on the islands crazy rumour about his family, or had he been the result of a secret affair? Right now he couldn't bear to find out if it were that latter that had held true.

Squinting slightly he could also make out another familiar shape, much taller and broader than his family members, it was obvious that it was Hunk, he'd recognise his big bear of a friend anywhere, though he hoped and prayed that he wouldn't look out to sea even if it was doubtful that he'd be able to pick out Lance's features from that distance. All that was visible was the top of his head, nothing more yet he was frozen on the spot as he saw his friend leave and head down the beach, but not before glancing out over the coastline, for a split second Hunks eyes had gazed in his general direction but didn’t actually register anything before the large male jogged away.

“You miss home? “

“What makes you say that?” Lance spun around to see that Shiro had finally come to join him, his dark eyes were still gripped with concern as he laid a large hand on a freckled shoulder. Perhaps he was coming off as a little defensive but the merman seemed to constantly be asking about his general well being at an increasing rate as the days passed.

“It's written all over our face.”

Lance looked a little dumbfounded at Shiro's observation, had he really been that obvious? Or did the merman have a keen instinct for reading people, whichever it was, he was right on the money.

“Lance, every day you've come back to this spot. You can't keep avoiding them forever.” Shiro's tone was firm yet gentle as he stated exactly what he felt the selkie should do, having been around Lance constantly for three days he had pieced together enough information to know that he did pine for home, he just needed a gentle nudge to go and face the music. 

“I know... I'm just not ready yet?” He replied as he began to slip back further out to the ocean, he'd heard Shiro say those words so often now, and of course he was right, but he was now just being stubborn as he struggled with his new found identity. 

The merman just let out a sigh of exasperation, it was clear that Lance was unwilling to see sense right now, but maybe if he were to somehow get somebody he would listen to.... Seeing Lance’s stockily-built friend gave him somewhere he could start. 

“How about you head back to the rock and I'll sort us lunch? We can try this again tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah... You sure you won’t need help?” Lance replied with a wry smile, he knew that Shiro had been trying his best and the last thing he wanted was to throw his kindness back in his face.

“I'll be fine, just try to take it easy for now.” 

Lance just nodded solemnly before slipping beneath the waves once more, however instead of feeling encouraged by Shiro's words he felt as though he'd let him down. He'd helped him without hesitation on more than one occasion, made sure he was comfortable and relaxed, offered him words of comfort and hugs that almost rivalled Hunks. Yet he knew deep down he was relying on the merman a little more than he liked to admit, right now Lance was very much isolated in his situation and Shiro just seemed to offer him sanctuary from all his hurt and confusion. It wouldn't be so bad if the orca would at least open up to him a little more, then maybe it would feel like a more equal exchange.

Having made sure that Lance had definitely slipped away Shiro decided to set his plan into motion. Sure it was a little risky and perhaps on some levels it would be a little invasive to dabble in the selkie's business, but if he pulled it off everything would be worth it.

It wasn't as though Shiro wanted him gone, in fact he had grown increasingly fond of Lance but to what extent he hadn't allowed himself the luxury of indulging in. Though it had been clear that they both enjoyed each other’s company and had generally became increasingly comfortable around each other, the merman knew that his companion wasn't truly happy. - He was homesick and it was showing more with each passing day. He just hoped that if he did return home that maybe he'd still come visit him at least. 

From the look of it, it would seem that Hunk was heading towards the bay where he'd rescued Lance that one time. That was good... That was very good as people tended not to venture so far from the main beach so he could hopefully breach the subject of Lance’s predicament in private, he could only hope that Hunk was the open minded sort.

 

=============================================================================================================

Hunk had been at a loss since he'd heard that Lance had gone missing, every waking moment when he'd not been trying to comfort Sarah and cover at the shack, he'd been searching high and low for his friend. He'd traversed the entire island and gone as far out as he dared to without the aid of a boat but to no avail. Lance was nowhere to be seen.

There had also been the vague account of events given by Lance's mother, there seemed to be something she hadn’t mentioned, she had also been adamant that despite 'losing her son to the ocean' there was no way he'd have drowned. She hadn't sounded like she was trying to cling to false hope, Sarah was adamant that her statement rang true even if she was withholding information.

So with no other leads he returned to the bay, back when he'd noticed Lance acting strangely, he also couldn't shake the feeling that the mysterious rescuer... Shiro (?) was connected. After all, he'd only been seen around Lance and none of the other islanders had any recollection of such a man. He was very hard to miss given his appearance, build and the distinct leg markings, he certainly had a unique look. So why hadn't anyone noticed him?

Setting his things on the ground he stripped off his shirt and kicked off his flip flops before wading into the water in his search for a few clues or even for Lance to just pop his head out of the depths with that huge shit eating grin of his... He missed it even though there were times he would just love to slap it clean off of his face.

However the face that did pop up shortly after such thoughts had manifested was not Lance's, he was instead greeted by the sight of the mystery man that had saved his friend. 

“Do you have a minute?” Shiro had called out as he rested his forearms on the rocky outcrop at the centre of the bay, his lower body submerged as he hadn't managed to 'swipe' some unsuspecting person’s shorts like he had before.

“I'd love to sit and chat but unless you can magically make Lance appear here right now I don't have the time.” Hunk replied gruffly as he continued to swim about the bay in search for signs of his friend. He'd gotten so blinkered in his search that he'd forgotten that he'd actually wanted to search him out in the first place.

“Yeah... About that, he's safe.” Shiro stated simply choosing to just give the most important information in order to ease Hunk's fears.

Hunk just treaded water for a little while as he stared back at Shiro with disbelief, he was elated that Lance was fine but pretty offended that he hadn't come sooner or at least dragged Lance back to the shore. 

“How long have you known?” He hissed as he scrambled up onto the rocky outcrop where Shiro was now looking at him with an expression he couldn't read. His voice cracked slight as he implored, using every ounce of his being to try to sound civil but he had been worried sick, Lance's mother was currently an inconsolable wreck and this Shiro guy 'knew'. “Tell me.”

“A week.” He stated gently, there was a hint of regret in his voice as he wished he'd done this sooner. “He was being attacked so I took him to safet--” 

“Instead of bringing him home!?” Hunk wasn't thinking as he almost effortlessly pulled Shiro from the water, despite his usual timid and docile nature he was now seeing red, his dark eyes boring into Shiro's own as he searched for answers. “We were worried sick, where is he!?”

Shiro struggled in Hunk's grip, fortunately the human was the gentle kind and hadn't gone for the neck at least, instead was being held beneath the armpits which whilst undignified was a more favourable option.

“Seal rock.”

“Wait you're telling me he's been sat on that seal colony over by the next island? ‘That' seal rock? You didn't think a warm building would be better, or you know... Home maybe?” 

Now he had gotten his rant out of the way Hunk paid a little more attention to how strange it felt holding Shiro like that... He hadn't even attempted to stand, he just felt like a dead weight in his grip then it hit him what was wrong with this whole situation. 

“Holy crap man what the Hell!!?” He stammered as he dropped Shiro on the rocks with a loud 'slap' his jaw hung agape as he actually looked at the other. This was not how he'd expected his day to go, he should have been overjoyed at the prospect of finding a mer-person yet the experience was dulled by the fact said creature had not dragged Lance back to his mother. “Legs! You had legs last time right??”

He watched as Shiro nodded, though it would seem that he was still in shock about being so unceremoniously dropped, a slight guilt crept up into Hunk's chest as he finally crouched down so he was as close to eye level as he could get with the creature. Clearly all the answers lie with the merman and at least he knew Lance was safe.

“Don't take this the wrong way but Lance is kind of a big 'mama's boy' there's no way he'd have left her crying on the beach.” He was blunt and honest with what he needed to know, “You say you saved him... Care to explain?”

Shiro seemed as though he was about to say something before he closed his mouth shot the ocean behind him a thoughtful look then turned his attention back. Was it such a hard question to answer?

“Hunk, this might sound like an odd request but what did Lance's mom tell you?”

“That there was an argument.... But that's all I know man.” He let out a sigh of frustration as he looked Shiro in the eye. “Nobody's told me anything, but all I know is that it was something big for him to go off like that, it's not like him y'know?”

Hunk's shoulders drooped in defeat, more than anything he was so sure that Lance would have told him if something was up, they had been friends for years, they knew everything about each other mainly because Lance would have a tendency to overshare, so the notion that his best friend was hiding something from him... It just felt so wrong.

“He'll be back.” Shiro stated with an awkward smile, it was hard to see the big guy so down even more so knowing exactly how much he cared for Lance's well being but for now he should just ease him in gently before maybe dropping a subtle hint about his friends 'condition'. “He's tried a few times, but every time he keeps losing his nerve and nothing I can say or do will get him to set foot on the shore. It's sort of why I sought you out today.”

“He did?” Hunk practically let out a squeak though mostly out of the sheer relief that Lance was indeed feeling a little homesick, however he had no idea what would make him too scared to return home. Either way, he might potentially have a shot at asking his friend 'why', and the anxious marine biology student's mind leapt to more mundane things. 

“So he's okay? Like really okay? No injuries? Colds?” He started to barrage Shiro with a ton of questions that he as Lance's best friend had to know, and most importantly. “You've made sure he doesn’t go hungry, right?”

Hunk shot a scrutinising look at the merman as he interrogated him mercilessly. As 'okay' as this Shiro guy was, he had to be sure that he hadn't been mistreating Lance in any way.

“Aside from his being too scared to go home, he's fine. I've kept him from harm as best I could and made sure he got his fill of mackerel so he's fine in that regard.”

“You do know how to cook seafood properly for humans, please tell me you used fire.”

“Should I have?” Shiro blinked a few times a little perplexed at the human's question, in his opinion charring the fish made it lose its flavour and tenderness.

Hunk sputtered indignantly unable to form words as he acted as though Shiro had committed the biggest blasphemy against all food. Okay, raw fish on sushi was fine but he highly doubted the other would have prepared it... Or have access to rice. All he could imagine were Lance and Shiro tearing into the raw mackerel like animals... Though the sad thing was that the image wasn’t too far off.

“He could get sick from that.” Hunk whined, again his annoyance with the merman was starting to show again.

“Trust me he won’t, he's like me so he's able to without any adverse effects.”

“Are you out of your freaking mi---” The human paused as he pondered Shiro's odd choice of phrasing, something was not right. Feeling a little more suspicious he closed the gap between them, his eyebrow raised inquisitively as he continued with a more even tone. He did not want to misunderstand a thing. “What do you mean when you say he's 'like you'?”

“Well.... I think it's best you talk to him and you'll understand, right now he needs a friendly face and mine isn't the one he needs right now. “Deciding it wasn't his place to drop the bomb shell like this, he still gave a heartfelt answer. He'd grown very attached to the selkie but he knew he was homesick and as a result miserable.

“I-I can do that? That's a thing that can happen?” Hope shone in the hulking human's eyes once more, the thought of the uncooked fish no longer important as he had the chance to see his friend again after a week of him going AWOL.

 

========================================================================================================

It had been an hour since he'd left Shiro after their awkward exchange, Hunk's mind was swimming with questions as to Lance's state of being and the fact that HOLY CRAP MERMAIDS WERE REAL!! Though for now he needed to digest that information a little later as his hired boat bounced on all the waves, already he could feel his stomach lurching with the sudden movements, but it was for the greater good, Lance was going to be coming home and maybe everyone would get a little resolution to the drama.

/I'm coming buddy./ He muttered beneath the sound of the engine, the seal colony coming into view and already he recognises the merman sitting peacefully next to a pack of seals. But there was no sign of Lance.

The rocky island was not so big as to be able to hide a tall yet skinny human, maybe he'd just gone for a swim? If not then he was going to have a serious talk with Shiro on why it’s bad to lie.

It wasn't long before he shut down the engine and anchored his vessel before plunging into the sea and swimming up to where Shiro was.

“Where's Lance?” He asked bluntly when he saw no sign of his lanky friend, disappointment and anger gripping his gut.

/No Hunk, I'm sure he can explain/ He tried to rationalise his emotions internally, after all Shiro had been sincere over an hour ago.

The merman just gestured to the seal that was sprawled across his monochrome tail.

/Okay so he can't explain.../

“Shiro, this is not a joke, you told me Lance would be here.”

“And he is.... right Lance?” He turned his attention to the blue eyes seal that was now desperately trying to bounce its way from the two.

Truth be told Hunk had to admit that he'd never seen a seal that expressive, or one with blue eyes however there was no way that the clumsy creature was Lance. Humans did not turn into chubby little seals, his friend had not transformed before so why would he suddenly be hit with this revelation now.

“Lance!” Shiro called after him, there was a slight authoritative tone to his voice which made the wayward seal halt and stare back in what looked like a mixture of confusion and despair. “Hunk's come all this way, you can at least talk to him. You have missed him right?”

Lance froze as he looked from Shiro to Hunk a hefty sigh escaping his muzzle. He knew he had a point and his best friend no doubt had been worried sick, all week he'd been too scared to even seek him out through fear he'd shun him, or accuse him of keeping such a big secret from him, the one thing he couldn't bear was the thought of breaking the trust they had shared since he and Hunk were kids. More than anything he just wished that he hadn't had to have seen him like this.

Hunk stood there mesmerised as he watched the seal known as 'Lance', he still wasn't convinced until he saw the flash of intelligence behind those soulful eyes and that the creature’s skin seemed to come loose. His first instinct was to dash towards the poor creature, loosing skin like that was a sure sign of injury, which was not normal.

His panic turned to curiosity as a slender tanned leg poked out from beneath, the skin itself was taking on a leathery texture as it came free until eventually coming loose and pooling on the ground around a human. Not just any human, it was Lance, though Hunk had never wanted to exactly see THAT much of him but damn it was good to see him alive and well. 

Lance however was too intent on watching his best friend how his expression turned from fear, to wonder then finally a large grin spread across his broad face, his large hands were balled in excitement. He'd never seen his friend look so relieved in his life and it left his chest hurting. He had made this person worry. This person who now looked as though he wanted to pull him into the biggest bear hug he could muster. Had he hurt Hunk as much as he'd hurt his mother when he'd fled into the sea a week before. He did not deserve a friend like that but he was so thankful to the point that thick tears rolled down his face, the droplets leaving trails along his sand covered cheeks. It wasn't until he felt a large calloused hand against his face that the selkie finally broke down, sobbing heavily as his emotions overwhelmed him like a stormy sea, he had so much to say, so many apologies to give but he didn't even know where to begin.

He had a lot of explaining to do.

[](http://s349.photobucket.com/user/benitora/media/really%20sad%20lance_zpsyocfj6d8.png.html)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An emotional goodbye and an emotional reunion. Is Lance truly ready to confront the truth?

Shiro, Hunk and Lance were sat around in strained silence as Lance explained how he'd wound up being saved by Shiro, he still hadn't fully explained what his mother had tried to do the moment he'd shed his selkie skin as a babe. Of course it had been done because she had wanted more for him, but the notion that the woman had nearly killed him as a result. That was something he was going to have to confront her about once he got home. A strong part of him toyed with the idea of crashing at Hunk's dorm for a while yet at the same time he knew full well that he had no right to impose on him so much when he hadn't even approached him to at least say that he was alive and well. He was a lousy son and an even lousier best friend. 

“Lance?” 

Lance flinched slightly as Hunk tried to get his attention, already a large meaty hand was resting on his shoulder and that smile that promised a brighter tomorrow, that maybe, just maybe things would be okay. His best friend was a gift and he'd taken him for granted. 

“What did I do to deserve you” He replied with a wry smile much to the Marine biology students chagrin, that clearly had not been the reaction he'd hoped to coax from the selkie. 

It had been tough not knowing if Lance was okay, if he was safe, if he was eating well? Hunk was a lot of things but above all, he could act like a complete mother hen whenever things turned sour and Lance was the type to coax that side out of him on an almost daily basis. 

“Lance, quit it.” Hunk snapped though the smile that followed lessened the bite of his words, more than anything he just wanted his best friend safe, and perhaps do something about his sunburned shoulders. “I know you'd do the same for me, or at least I think you would... Wouldn't you buddy?” 

The selkie couldn't help but smile at the other as he went off on one of his tangents, for all the stick he tended to give the guy he had missed his babbling as though his train of thought was escaping him. He glanced down at his sealskin that he'd neatly folded and rested upon his lap stroking it idly as though being reunited with a part of himself, although he just wished that it hadn't added so many complications to his life.  
So this was him...Who he truly was? He cast his gaze over to his friends, normal human Hunk and then there was Shiro who was currently draped across a rock listening to the conversation as he tended to one of the seal pups, his thick monochrome tail twitching lazily. Still it was good to know he wasn't the only freak on the rock. Not that he thought Shiro was a freak.. well maybe a little bit of one... A very handsome one.... 

Lance's face went beet red at the thought, the thought so clear in his mind that he fear it had been audible. Of course that was just plain silly unless....

/Take it easy Lance, he can't read minds...Just...Chill./

Could merpeople do that?? He sure hoped not. 

“Hey, Earth to Lance. We should see about getting you home, your mom's been unconsolable since you left.” Hunk's smile faded as he thought of the countless missed called from his friends mother, frantically asking if Lance was staying with him, of course the answer had been a big 'no' but it never stopped him helping her to look for for him or to cover Lance's shifts at the shack for a while. There had been many strained jokes about how he was a far better cook than Lance but the jovial comments barely masked the pain and worry of the Mcclain family and himself.

“Yeah...” Lance replied his voice loaded with conflicting emotions as he mentally ran though his last conversation with her, deep down he knew she'd meant well it was the fact that she'd almost accidentally killed him that left him shook. However at his core he was a mama's boy at heart and he missed his siblings, he'd missed Hunk and more than anything in that moment he'd missed his mother's hugs. “Though not sure if I deserve to go back.”

“Would you just listen to yourself.” Hunk finally had reached his limit with dealing with the Mcclain family drama, he loved them but how could it be possible for both mother and son to be so worried about the other that they were too afraid to reach out to each other once more. “I have had to sit and watch your mother stand on the busted old pier clutching the clothes you shed that night in hopes you'll return, no matter how old or reckless you get you are still going to be her 'baby boy'. Whatever happened you need to talk it out.” 

“She almost killed me Hunk.” Lance added quietly, “She tried to burn my seal skin, she said she didn't want it trapping me. I know she meant well but if my dad hadn't stopped her.......” 

Lances voice trailed off as he hugged the skin to his chest, hating that it made him vulnerable yet happy as it felt as though he'd been reunited with a piece of himself, it was complicated and he didn't have all the answers or any for that matter. Up until now he'd never even heard of a selkie despite being one all his life. More and more questions bubbled to the surface, were any of his siblings the same or had the gene passed soley to him? 

Then there was Hunk, all these years he'd been adamant that merpeople had existed and even joked about how Lance was probably part one.... He'd been close, painfully close. Looking at the stocky male now he was surprised that he was so calm when usually he was excitable, a bit twitchy and his brain to mouth filter was non-existent. Either something was up or Hunk hadn't processed that his two main theories as a marine biologist had been correct and the evidence was right in front of him and holding conversation. Eventually he piped up. 

“I'm sorry, I had no idea but please at least speak to her she knows she was wrong.” The marine biology student shot his best puppy dog eyes at the other male, though there was sympathy on those dark eyes of his. Perhaps that was why Lance wanted to trust his judgement, after all when had the big guy ever steered him wrong? “I know you miss her as much as she misses you.”

“I know.” Lance finally conceded as he wrapped the sealskin around his shoulders the rubbery hide already fusing with his tanned skin ready for his swim over to the boat. He turned to face Shiro who was now looking directly at him, the seal pups completely ignored for the moment but there was a slight sadness in his eyes that Lance couldn't place. “Just give me a second.” 

Slowly lance padded over to the merman and wrapped his slender arms around him, his grip tight as he buried his face in the crook of Shiro's neck no longer caring if it was appropriate, he'd been so good to him and now he was going to leave him so suddenly. There was an unexplainable tightness in his chest when it came to when he had to pull away. 

“Thank you Shiro, for everything.” The selkies voice cracked a little as he entered the water followed by Hunk. This was already painful, had he remained any longer then he may not have left the small island. It was for the best, he'd already burdened the orca enough. “Good bye.” 

Lance couldn't bring himself to look back, his body in full seal form which he'd hoped helped him hide his inner turmoil, also in seal form he couldn't form words which would hopefully prevent Hunk from asking too many questions. 

 

Twenty minutes had passed as they made their way to the mainland, already Lance could make out the lights of the sign about his family's grill shack, occasionally he'd cast a glance over to Seal rock which was fast disappearing from view, Shiro's figure no longer noticable from this distance. Guilt washed over him as he realised how much the merman had done for him only to be abandoned so quickly. 

/I am the worst.../ He mused as he lay his muzzle down on the seat as he watched Hunk steer them in the direction of home. Back to his mother, father and siblings. He belonged there, always had- But why was the ocean always calling to him? 

Hunk having taken note of how quiet his friend was being reached a large arm over and rested it on the top of his head as a gesture of solidarity and reassurance. Lance however barely moved as he stared up at the other with large blue eyes. 

“Lance.... I hate when you're quiet like this.” Hunk mumbled as he drove the boat over a choppy set of waves, his large hands back gripping the wheel firmly. “I've never seen you like this... I mean this quiet because obviously I've never seen you as a... a.. well you know.”  
Hunk had wanted to say seal yet his brain was still organising this revelation into something a little more palletable, it wasn't every day ones best friend just happened to turn into a seal. 

The larger male's jaw was set stubbornly as he tried to keep his feelings in check, he'd actually been feeling pretty hurt that Lance hadn't had enough faith in him to seek him out. Selkie or not they were friends and he would crawl though hot coals and glass belly first for his friend. 

“When I heard you'd disappeared into the night I'd thought you were going to get yourself killed, but I had to hold it together for your mom.... How would it look if I let slip that I was fearing the worst...So I went about my day pretending that I wasn't scared outta my mind for you. Every spare moment I searched for you” Hunk's voice cracked slightly his emotions finally catching up with him.... Sadness and anger towards his best friend bubbling up until his voice was louder than the roar of the engine and the crashing waves. 

“Sorry.... I know you got a lot to deal with, I just... I just wanted to know you were alive. “ His voice went meek as he finally began to regain his composure, the last thing he ever wanted was to make Lance feel bad, or to snap at him. The large male took no joy in hurting others. 

Several moments passed before a tanned human arm and face emerged from within the seal like form, as though it had been worn like a cocoon. Stormy blue eyes brimming with tears as he gripped the back of Hunk's shirt, clinging to his best friend for dear life. 

“I'm sorry big guy.” Lance finally spoke, his head downcast in shame, he'd never factored how this would affect his friend, Hunk had done nothing wrong and had even helped keep his family together and this had been the thanks he'd gotten. “I didn't want to hurt you, I was just scared of what being like this meant... I should have known you'd be fine having a freak as a best friend.” 

An awkward smile curved at the edge pf his lips as he wrapped his arms around Hunk as best as he could given the others familiar girth, but it was comforting as he remained latched onto his best friend for the duration of the ride. 

“It's fine... I still can't believe I was right!” The larger males eyes glinted with all the signs of an incoming 'I knew it'/'I told you so'. “I'm offended that you were holding out on me all that time you damned noodle.”  
Hunks lips jutted out in a pout as he pretended to be annoyed , his smile however betrayed him as he pulled into the Marina. 

“How about we get you home?”

 

Having had no clothes or blankets in the boat Lance was forced to make his way up the beach towards his dorm swaddled in a tarp, he'd gotten a few strange looks but Hunk had made some excuse that Lance had been pranked and that satisfied the other students in the halls of residence until finally they had made their way into the students room and acquired a change of clothes. 

The only issue was that all the clothes were Hunks and they swamped Lance's leaner frame, the T-shirt hanging off his slightly sunburned shoulders as he was forced to hold on to the others sweatpants for dear life should they fall off of his body as he made his way up the board walk towards the shack that had been closed for the day. 

Everything was eerily quiet as he hovered at the door hesitating as he tried to find the courage to knock on the large wooden door. He couldn't hear his siblings playing, his father laughing or his mother singing to herself as she bustled about their home. 

/Here goes.../ 

Just as his knuckles met the wooden surface the door swung upon to reveal his mother her hair unkempt, her face pale and dark circles under her eyes as she looked her boy up and down taking in the sight of the oversized clothes that had obviously been borrowed from hunk, the slight burn and darker freckling on his cheeks and shoulders and his chestnut brown hair tangled ans wild from the saltwater and salty sea air he'd been exposed to. Mother and son looking pretty worse for wear as they stared at each other for a few moments. 

“I'm home...” Lance shot his mother an apologetic smile, the woman still seeming stunned before slapping him hard against the cheek and flinging her arms around him. 

“I was so worried.” She bawled as she flitted between stoking his face, hair and kissing his cheeks through fear he'd disappear onto the sea once more. 

“I'm so sorry..so so sorry.” Her voice came out as choked sobs, barely able to breathe as she continued to hold her son, her precious Lance, her lanky baby boy and every other affectionate term that could have been used by her. 

Lance's cheek still stung but he accepted it, he'd not been entirely fair either as he choked back tears of his own, his mother looked ill and delicate through worry. How could he have doubted her love for him, or doubted she'd welcome him back home after everything that had happened. 

“I love you mom...” He drew a ragged breath as he hugged the short woman fiercely. He'd meant those words with every ounce of his being yet to heal they were going to have to talk it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was a little shorter than usual and that it's been a while since I updated but this chapter will set up the rest of the story and soon I'll be able to add more characters.


End file.
